Car Accident

Time broke into fragments, scene after scene flashing past.

Amid the chaos and shouting, someone ran toward her. She could no longer hear the cries or calls.

Before her eyes, everything she had lived through flickered by in rapid succession. In the end, there was only one image left: a girl wearing a baseball cap and black-framed glasses, smiling at her.

“Yan Yue!!!”

Outside the emergency room, a crowd had gathered. No one spoke; only the occasional sound of someone breaking down into uncontrollable sobs could be heard.

Old Master Yan sat heavily in a chair, gripping his cane. Yan Zhengqing stood beside him with his lips pressed tight, his wife in his arms, her shoulders trembling.

Qin Qingyan’s eyes were swollen and red. She stared fixedly at the operating room door, silent.

Outside, the sky was pitch-black. At three in the morning, even the liveliest city looked deserted; the clock on the wall ticked on with agonizing slowness.

It was only at daybreak that the doctor finally pushed open the door and came out.

A group of people rushed up to him. One look at their faces was enough for the doctor to know what they wanted to ask. “Her life is not in danger, but her spine has suffered significant damage. We’ll have to wait until she wakes up to know the exact situation.”

In the ward, Qin Qingyan stayed by the bedside, her gaze never leaving Yan Yue’s pale face.

“Dad, you should go back and rest first. We can stay here and keep watch. Your health matters too,” Song Shuxiao said.

Old Master Yan waved a hand. “I’m fine. My body’s still sturdy. I’ll go rest after Yue girl wakes up.”

Yan Zhengqing tried persuading him a few more times, but the old man impatiently cut him off, so he had no choice but to let it go.

By noon, Yan Yue still showed no sign of waking.

The old master’s body could no longer bear the strain, yet he still refused to leave. Yan Zhengqing had him lie down in the next room for a while, promising to wake him the instant Yan Yue opened her eyes. Only then did the old man agree.

Song Shuxiao looked at her daughter with aching eyes, then at Qin Qingyan beside the bed. Ever since the accident, Qin Qingyan had stayed by Yan Yue’s side and still had not drunk so much as a sip of water.

When Yan Yicheng came upstairs with a large bag of fruit and wontons, Song Shuxiao picked up a bowl and brought it to Qin Qingyan. “Eat something. It’s been almost a full day and night; you can’t keep going like this.”

Qin Qingyan took it and thanked her, her voice dry and hoarse.

But she didn’t eat. She set the bowl on the bedside table and gripped Yan Yue’s hand tightly. It was ice-cold. Qin Qingyan’s eyes suddenly turned red, and she fought hard not to let the tears fall.

If not for the heart monitor, Qin Qingyan would have thought several times that Yan Yue would never wake again.

It was the first time she had felt fear and helplessness this intense. Facing death, she had no way to do anything.

Around five in the afternoon, nearly seven hours had passed since the surgery. The ward was deathly quiet.

Yan Yue’s fingers moved. Qin Qingyan, who had been drained to the point of numbness, instantly came back to herself, suddenly alert and excited. Seeing her reaction, the others hurried over to check.

A few minutes later, Yan Yue slowly opened her eyes.

Tears immediately slid down Qin Qingyan’s face; she choked on her sobs and couldn’t make a sound.

Yan Yue slowly looked around the room. Her gaze fell on the hand Qin Qingyan was holding. She gave a weak smile and squeezed back.

The doctor soon came to examine her. Everything was relatively optimistic until he checked her legs; Yan Yue had no sensation at all.

Several doctors exchanged glances and shook their heads.

Everyone around them grew anxious and worried.

Yan Yue quickly understood. She tried to lift her leg, but there was no response at all. She stared blankly, panic rising in her heart.

The doctors called Yan Zhengqing and Song Shuxiao outside. Qin Qingyan also understood what was happening. For a moment, she didn’t even dare look at Yan Yue.

Soon after, Yan Yue’s father and mother returned to the ward and closed the door. Her mother’s eyes were red, clearly from crying.

“My legs... are they useless now?” Yan Yue asked.

Song Shuxiao shook her head and said with a smile, “They’ll get better. We’ll take you to the best rehabilitation center. In a year or two, or at most three or four years, you’ll definitely recover.”

The hand gripping hers tightened again. Yan Yue looked at Qin Qingyan, whose eyes were bloodshot.

Yan Yue said nothing for a moment, then gave a faint smile. “Such a long rehabilitation period... does that mean there’s basically no hope of becoming healthy again?”

Song Shuxiao held back her tears and didn’t dare look at Yan Yue.

“If there isn’t, then there isn’t. At least if I’m in a wheelchair, I’ll still be alive,” Yan Yue said with a smile.

Qin Qingyan looked at her, her heart aching so badly it felt torn open. How could she not care? It was impossible not to care.

By evening, Yan Yue’s condition had remained very stable. After the Yan family was sent away, only Qin Qingyan remained in the ward.

“Qin Qingyan, I’m a little hungry. Can you go buy me a bowl of wontons?” Yan Yue said.

Qin Qingyan shook her head, tears in her eyes. For some reason, she had the feeling she might lose Yan Yue at any moment; that feeling was even stronger than when Yan Yue had been lying in the emergency room, life and death uncertain.

“If I wanted to give up and die, there are plenty of ways. Besides, I should be glad I’m still alive. From now on I’ll just have to rely on a wheelchair. I’m not that fragile.”

Qin Qingyan agreed.

She quietly pulled the door shut, but she didn’t leave; instead, she leaned against the wall and tried to suppress her sobs.

Not long after, there was suddenly movement from inside the ward. Qin Qingyan spun around. Just as she was about to push the door open, she caught sight through the glass of Yan Yue’s body slumping off the bed.

She watched Yan Yue struggle to prop herself up, but there was no strength in her legs at all; no matter what she did, she couldn’t stand. Yan Yue gripped the edge of the bed and tried again, but the result was the same.

Qin Qingyan’s hand froze on the doorknob. She clearly saw tears falling from Yan Yue’s face.

After Yan Yue’s tears dried, Qin Qingyan deliberately made some noise and then pushed the door open.

Pretending she had just noticed, she hurried forward, lifted Yan Yue up, and placed her back on the bed.

“I just...” Yan Yue said.

Qin Qingyan took the water cup from the side and set it by the bed. “I know. If you want water, remember to tell me next time.”

“Okay.” Yan Yue didn’t look at her. “Why did you suddenly come back?”

“I forgot my car key. There’s a wonton place that’s especially good, but it’s a bit far. I’m going to buy it now,” Qin Qingyan said.

After confirming Qin Qingyan had left, Yan Yue shifted her body and made a call.

Very soon, Li Xian hurried to her ward and looked at Yan Yue in disbelief.

Yan Yue gave a relaxed smile. “You’re a doctor. I want you to help me see how much hope there is for rehabilitation.”

Li Xian checked her condition and, after confirming it again and again, shook her head.

Yan Yue looked at the ceiling and let out a long breath. “That’s good. It saves me the time of rehabilitation.”

“Even if the chance is tiny, it’s worth trying. Even if it really takes a few years, that’s still worth it, isn’t it?” Li Xian said.

Yan Yue shook her head. “Forget it.”

She understood. She herself had no confidence in rehabilitation. If even she didn’t believe in it, how could she go through with it?

After Qin Qingyan calmed herself down, she got out of the car and headed toward the ward.

She ran into Li Xian just as Li Xian was coming out of the ward. The two looked at each other and passed by. At that moment, in Qin Qingyan’s eyes, Li Xian was only a doctor.

Li Xian stopped.

“Rehabilitation is uncertain, but I hope you can persuade her. Even the smallest chance shouldn’t be given up, let alone one that’s more than that,” Li Xian said.

“Thank you. I will.”

Back in the ward, Qin Qingyan set up the bedside table and sat down beside it, looking at Yan Yue.

“This wonton shop has the most distinctive taste. Try it,” Qin Qingyan said.

Yan Yue ate one and smiled at her. “It really is good.”

Qin Qingyan looked at her for a long time, then looked away before her eyes turned red.

“Just now, I ran into Li Xian,” Qin Qingyan said.

Her voice wasn’t loud, but it was very clear in the ward.

Yan Yue’s movements paused for a moment, then she continued eating.

“There’s still hope for rehabilitation. I can stay with you; we can do it together..."

“Qin Qingyan,” Yan Yue interrupted, “there’s no need. This is fine. It’s enough.”

Qin Qingyan: “Can’t you at least try?”

Yan Yue: “I said there’s no need.”

They looked at each other. In the end, Qin Qingyan was the first to give in. She lowered her head. “All right. Then we’ll talk about it later.”

That night, Qin Qingyan stayed by the bedside the whole time. When the phone rang, she glanced at Yan Yue, who had fallen asleep, and stepped outside to answer it.

The moment the door closed, Yan Yue on the bed slowly opened her eyes. The room was very quiet; if you listened closely, you could hear Qin Qingyan’s voice.

“Please cancel it for me. You’ve worked hard these past few days... I’ll pay the penalty... That’s fine, we can talk about the rest later. Mm, goodbye.”

After hanging up, she gently pushed the door open and sat back down by the bed.

In the middle of the night, Yan Yue woke up and saw the figure beside her, asleep with her head resting there. Looking at her for a long time with a pained heart, Yan Yue let out the lightest sigh.

Just as she lifted the blanket, Qin Qingyan woke up at once. She turned on the light and met Yan Yue’s eyes, immediately understanding what she wanted to do.

“I’ll carry you over.” She reached out, picked Yan Yue up, and walked toward the bathroom.

Qin Qingyan could clearly feel that Yan Yue had become much lighter.

“That’s enough. Go out; I can do it myself,” Yan Yue said.

Qin Qingyan seemed to want to say something, but in the end she nodded and went out. Only after hearing the flush, and waiting a little longer, did she ask, “Can I come in?”

“Mm.”

She picked Yan Yue up and carried her back to bed.

Qin Qingyan was about to turn off the light when Yan Yue stopped her. “Qin Qingyan, the bed is big. Come up and sleep with me.”

Qin Qingyan froze, then agreed.

These past few days, she really hadn’t slept properly. As soon as she got into bed, her whole body relaxed, and she fell asleep quickly.

Feeling the steady breathing of the person beside her, Yan Yue closed her eyes, and tears slid down her cheeks. Qin Qingyan...

Early the next morning, Yan Yue’s parents arrived at the hospital together, and they had only one purpose: to take Yan Yue abroad for treatment.

There was no ripple in Yan Yue’s eyes. She neither agreed nor refused. Looking at Yan Yue, Qin Qingyan’s heart sank all the way to the bottom; she even vaguely felt that this idea had been proposed by Yan Yue from the very beginning.

Qin Qingyan understood that Yan Yue didn’t want to drag her down. She had no standing to agree or refuse. All she could do was stay by Yan Yue’s side.

“Wherever you go, I’ll go too. No matter which country it is, I’ll stay with you,” Qin Qingyan said.

Yan Yue smiled. “No need. You should focus on developing your career in China. When I come back, I want to see Qin Qingyan as an award-winning reigning actress.”

Qin Qingyan also smiled. “I’m still young. There’s no rush to win awards. I’ll step away from the public eye for now; whenever you get better, that’s when I’ll start filming again.”

“Qin Qingyan, don’t be impulsive.”

“Yan Yue, don’t push me away.”